VP finalist Rhonda DeLong discusses crisis communication, murder cover-up at candidate forum
Rhonda DeLong speaks to students, faculty and staff during the vice president for University Communications and chief of marketing officer forum on Oct. 24 in the Bovee University Center Rotunda.
Tears began to form in Rhonda DeLong's eyes.
Her voice quivered.
Her body language shifted.
This was DeLong's reaction when she was asked to describe a time she faced a crisis.
DeLong is one of three finalists in the search for Central Michigan University's next vice president for University Communications and chief of marketing officer. She concluded the candidate forums Oct. 24 in the Bovee University Center Rotunda.
The crisis, which DeLong called the worst moment of her career, took place at Eastern Michigan University on Dec. 15, 2006.
It was a Friday, and most students on campus were leaving the university for the holidays.
DeLong served as Eastern Michigan's interim executive director of marketing and communication at the time.
The new hire for that position was getting ready to take over, so the weekend transition period between DeLong and her predecessor allowed her the opportunity to go up north to see her mother. There wasn't much reception or internet access.
"Everybody thought, 'Things are quiet, so this is a great time to make this transition,'" DeLong said.
It was on that day that Laura Dickinson was found dead in her dorm room.
When now-former EMU President John Fallon learned the news that a student had died on campus, he called DeLong.
"The reason was very valid," DeLong said. "He called me because I was the person who had been doing this work. I was the one who knew how to do it."
With her mother in the rural parts of northern Michigan, DeLong drove to a local library to get access to clear phone reception and internet.
Despite being hundreds of miles away, she eventually spoke with the president of the university.
"He said, 'A student has died on campus. We don't think there's been any foul play, and I need you to get the word out,'" DeLong recalled from her conversation with Fallon.
"This is where it all fell apart," she added.
DeLong followed Fallon's directions without asking further questions.
"I felt like, 'This is the president. He's calling me, so he must know what he's telling me,'" DeLong said.
DeLong produced a press release that explained exactly what Fallon reported to her, including the fact that foul play was not suspected. She sent the press release to Fallon first, checking that all the information provided was accurate.
At this point it was Saturday, and DeLong was still up north with her mother.
"I do believe that if I had been on campus, I would have personally walked over to our public safety department and talked to the chief of police and officers that did the investigation," DeLong said. "I would have done my own research to make sure what I was saying was true."
What happened was the exact opposite of the truth.
Eastern Michigan sent out the press release that was written by DeLong based on the conversation she had with President Fallon.
The release said that a student had died of asphyxiation but "no foul play" was suspected, despite evidence that actually contradicted the statement.
It turns out Dickinson was murdered in her apartment, but Eastern Michigan failed to report the chance of her death being a murder to the public for more than two months after her death. Dickinson's body was originally found naked from the waist down on the floor with a pillow over her head. Her parents and fellow students were not notified of what was found.
The suspect, Orange Taylor III, remained on campus and wasn't arrested until Feb. 23, 2007. It wasn't until then that EMU officially announced Dickinson's death as a homicide.
DNA from semen found on Dickinson's legs matched Taylor's. He was also a student at EMU.
According to a subsequent investigation by Detroit law firm Butzel Long, EMU violated the Clery Act by not notifying students. The report named Vice President of Student Affairs Jim Vick as the main person that covered up the murder.
Fallon, Vick and Public Safety Director Cindy Hall were fired in July 2007.
"I learned and have become an expert on the Clery Act," DeLong said. "I have since become an avid proponent of having really robust crisis communications – not only plans but practices and understand what to do."
DeLong remained at EMU as the director of web communications and new media until 2011.
She became the director of marketing communications at the University of Michigan School of Public Health from 2012-16 before accepting a job as Henry Ford College's director of marketing and communications, the position she currently holds.
Now, DeLong wants to bring her knowledge of communications and marketing to Central Michigan.
"I don't believe there are unsolvable problems for us," DeLong said at the forum. "I think this is a place that is going to weather the storms of whether colleges and universities stay here. There are a lot of us now. My prediction is that in 10 or 15 years, there will be fewer.
"I think this is one that will not only be here but thrive because of the work it's doing."
DeLong spoke to students, faculty and staff about a number of topics at the public forum, but she specifically touched on student experience and enrollment marketing.
DeLong said the university in Mount Pleasant is a place where she thinks she can contribute as a team member, community member and leader to advance the cause of the institution and expand student opportunities.
"It's always about students," DeLong said. "They are at the core of everything we do, no matter what department we work in."
Another aspect of the student experience is helping administration members to collaborate amongst the seven colleges. DeLong doesn't want there to be any barriers within those colleges that hinder students from reaching their full potential.
"There is so much pressure on us to be successful in helping students succeed in life that we don't have time for outdated structures and barriers that keep people from achieving the main goal," DeLong said.
If she's hired at CMU, DeLong said she wants to have deep conversations across all the departments to help generate the best approaches to take when making upgrades and additions to each college.
"Sometimes the first thing on your mind that you think you need is actually not aligned with what your goals are," DeLong said.
DeLong was also adamant about enrollment marketing and her desire to deliver upon key components to measure success.
"If you go to the Detroit area, you will see Central, but you'll also see all kinds of colleges and universities," DeLong said. "It is a super competitive market. The share of voice is very large.
"One of the things I do is concentrate my market materials in places where I think will have the most impact."
Even though she understands why it has to be done in certain situations, DeLong said she learned that cutting departments isn't the way to achieve success.
She wants to make sure that doesn't happen at CMU.
The first chief marketing officer public forum took place Oct. 22 with candidate Rosalee Rush. The second chief marketing officer candidate was John Veilleux – his public forum was Oct. 23.
The forums were streamed on the senior officer searches website. Any feedback related to the job can be submitted at the forums by completing the candidate evaluation form or emailing any comments to president@cmich.edu.
